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Download SQL Server Express 2014 the easy way

Today I decided to install SQL Server 2014 Express Edition and figured how hard can that be? Well, Microsoft have certainly made it more difficult that’s for sure.

To start, I did a standard Google search for “SQL Server Express with Management Studio” as previous installations did not always come with Management Studio, and was pleasantly surprised to find that there are a number of options. You can download just a database engine, or one with tools (including the Management Studio) among others.

The instructions seemed straightforward, click the big green button labelled Get Started and fill in a form stating what version you wanted and what language. Sweet. Then you end up with a page with some resources and a big Download Now button. Couldn’t be simpler. WRONG!

The big Download Now button takes you back to the same page where you started so you end up in a perpetual loop. And Microsoft have a cheek to then send you an email thanking you for downloading with a link back to the same page.

So a little bit more googling and I come across a post from Scott Hanselman with direct links to the different downloads that you would need. For me this was SQL Server Express with Tools. This is how simple it should be.